An easy “Nelson.”

A British jury last week convicted Lydia Mugambe of forcing a young Ugandan woman to work as her slave after tricking her into coming to the U.K.

Mugambe, studying for a doctorate in law at the University of Oxford when she got into the slave business, is a high court judge in Uganda (DING!),a criminal tribunal judge at the United Nations (DING!), and previous Human Rights Fellow (DING!) at Columbia University (DINGDINGDINGDINGDING!—Is Columbia having a bad month or what?)

Mugambe’s passionate social justice activism for “gender-based justice” (DING!) previously earned her the People’s Choice Gavel Award from Women’s Link Worldwide (DING!). In 2022 Mugambe also won the Vera Chirwa Human Rights Award of the University of Pretoria, South Africa (of course DING!) , for her work to ensure gender-based justice in Africa.

Back in England, the Thames Valley Police had received a tip on Feb. 10, 2023 that Mugambe was holding a young woman as a slave in Kidlingon. Mugambe had captured the young woman by obtaining a visa for the victim to work in the U.K. with the understanding that she would be a paid staff member for the deputy high commissioner at the Ugandan Embassy in London, John Mugerwa. Mugambe paid for the victim’s plane ticket, picked her up from the airport, then forced her to perform the functions of a domestic maid and nanny at her residence without monetary compensation.

But wait! There’s more!

Mugerwa, the Ugandan diplomat, facilitated the plot by getting the victim’s visa while knowing Mugambe’s plans for her. In return for his help, Mugambe promised that in her position as a judge, she would guarantee a positive result in a Ugandan court case Mugerwa was involved in.

Isn’t this story great?

There is still more: The evidence that Mugerwa was a key player in the enslavement conspiracy is overwhelming, but he has diplomatic immunity and Uganda refused to waive it.

I wonder how much money USAID has sent to Uganda?